Settlement Of Steel Strike In America

Chronicle (Levin), 2 November 1949, Page 8

Settlement Of Steel Strike In America

(N.Z.P.A.

— Reuter.

CapwigM) I

RjeL'eived Tuesuay o.Id p.m. i NEW YORK, Uct. 31. 1 Mr Philip Murray, presidelit of the I Steelworkers' Uuioa, tonight amiouneeQ I the settlement of the steehvorkers ' | strike against the Bethlehem Steel Uor- ! poration. Steel industry sourees said the | settlement. probably would set a patterh | for contracts with other steel compan- I ies and break the back of the 31-day- I oid nation-wide steel strike wherein | t'he workers demanded that the employ- 1 ers bear the whoie cost of the pension | scheme. The Bethlehem Bteei Curpora- j tion and the imioiPhave agreed to a j free pension plan for employees and a ] sociai iasurance programme li'nanced ) equally by the workers and the corpor- j ation. | The union spokesnian said there was j uo doubt the tenus represented a ' ' vic- j tory for the uman^^ j Commenti ng on the seUleinent with ' the Bethlehem Steel Works, Mr. Philip ] Murray said the agreement provided- ! for payment by the steel conipany of 100 dollars a uiunth peusious for em j pJoyees with 25 years' service. ' The ' contract also provided for a contribn- i tory health insurance programme paid j for by equal contributions from the ] compan v and its employees. Bethlehem j is the first major steel . company- to j reacli an agreement with the steel work- i ers in the 31-(lay strike. It employs i 80,000 workers. Mr. Murray said the men would re- j turn to work as soon as possible. Mr. Cyrus Ching, Federal Mediatiou Director, said he hoped the settlement would lead to industrial peace in the whole steel industry.